In Kaplan’s latest addition to the “Interview with the Experts” series, we get the opportunity to speak to A.J. Hoge.

A.J has a Masters degree in Teaching English (TESOL) and over 10 years experience teaching students at universities in the United States, Thailand, and Japan. He is also the Founder and Director of Effortless English as well as the Co-Founder of Learn Real English.

What made you become an ESL teacher?

I originally started as an ESL teacher to travel and work abroad. Over time I enjoyed the teaching more and more. So I went back to school and got serious about improving my teaching. I found the “traditional” methods to be ineffective, so I tried every new and different technique I could find and gradually created my own approach.

How would you describe your teaching style?

Results focused. I’m still constantly trying new things. The goal for me is always to help my students get the quickest and most powerful results. I have found that motivation and leadership are hugely important. Unmotivated students simply don’t achieve success.

I focus a lot of energy on motivating and inspiring my students for this reason. I also spend a lot of time undoing the boredom and stress caused by “traditional” classes they have attended in the past.

In fact, I rarely call myself a “teacher” because that word seems so old. I usually call myself an “English coach” because that’s how I see my role– to teach strategies, to train students, and to motivate and inspire– all with a focus on getting the result that the student wants.

What cultural insights can you get from teaching ESL?

Whether you teach immigrants at home or go abroad you are naturally in contact with people from a variety of cultures. That’s one of the best things about teaching ESL and it’s why I originally started. I still love it. Your worldview broadens naturally in this field.

Have you experienced cultural difficulties from teaching ESL?

Not really. I’ve certainly been through plenty of “culture shock” when living abroad, but that’s part of the adventure. For me the hardest part was coming home. When living abroad everything is interesting and new. Then I’d come home and quickly be bored. The important thing is to look at it all as an adventure and enjoy the differences.

Which other ESL teachers do you admire and why?

I absolutely love Blaine Ray. He is actually a Spanish teacher and I learned so much from him and his storytelling method. He’s a true master and a great person too.

What would you say to someone who was considering being an ESL teacher?

I would say “do it!” because it can be so interesting and rewarding, especially when you teach abroad. With that said, there are some truly dreadful ESL jobs out there (and I speak from experience).

To survive any job, it’s important to learn to lead a classroom of children or adults. I highly recommend Fred Jones’ book “Tools for Teaching” as a primer on classroom “discipline” (ie. leadership). Without this skill, teaching can be hell.

Second, research potential jobs very carefully. Talk to several teachers who work at the company and be sure it’s a good environment. Be sure the teaching and work hours are reasonable.

What do you think is the future of ESL teaching?

I think greater choice and variety is the future. Driven by online options, students now have greater and greater choice. I think this opens the door for innovation and is good news for dedicated and creative teachers. It’s not such good news for the standard bureaucracies.

Which superhero would you be and why?

Ha! I’ll say Loki from the Jim Carrey movie The Mask. I’m a very expressive and energetic teacher (some say crazy). I also enjoy breaking the established teaching ‘rules’ whenever possible.

Many thanks to A.J. for some typically energetic answers. What do you think to A.J’s views on English education? What strategies do you think work best for teachers and students alike? Leave your thoughts and comments below!

Martin is originally from the beautiful city of York and has been living in London for the last few years. He loves writing and helping to create infographics.
@MartinHofs

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

I enjoyed the interview. Thanks and good luck to your English students!

http://www.facebook.com/ariezz.risnandar Aris Risnandar

one of the most difficult is make a question, please help us AJ

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

The key thing, Aris, is to first listen to a lot of questions and get a “feeling for correctness”. When I teach story lessons I ask A LOT of questions and one reason is to help you get used to hearing, answering and (eventually) asking questions. The more you listen, the more you’ll find that it feels quite easy. Good luck!

http://twitter.com/Mattoo_official Mattoo

AJ is an amazing person and i think his method is the best way of learning English. I’ve

listened to his lessons for a year and I’ve done what he says.Now my English is now very good in just 1 year. Thank you AJ

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Great to hear you are doing so well Mattoo! Keep learning and improving always!

http://www.facebook.com/salman.fadhil.50 Salman FG

AJ is the king of teaching English, I started to follow his method 6 months ago and I have gotten great result. Im really grateful to AJ. thank u . looking forward to see more strategies from you.

http://www.facebook.com/eduardo.assis.940 Eduardo Assis

To me A. J is an excelent teacher in the whole World. I’m improving my English with him since 2012. My listen improved a lot and my pronunciation too. I’d like so much to participate one his English classes live abroad or here in Brazil/ BH/MG. Would be a great dream to talk to him face to face. So, I like so much his classes and ask God to protect him and bless him for his contributions to english students. Cheers!

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

I hope to do a seminar in Brazil someday (hopefully soon)!

Lucas Sandoval

Eduardo Assis, tudo certo? você é de BH?

http://www.facebook.com/dusan.kondic.39 Dusan Kondic

I did it AJ’s way. After almost ten months of listening EEC lessons I feel really confident when I speak english.

Gonca

When I started studying English, I was so hopeless with it. I thought that I couldn’t speak English. Then all of a sudden words started coming out automatically so I was amazed when I noticed that.

Thank you AJ. You are the most powerful teacher I’ve ever had.

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Congratulations! You must have listened to a lot of English!

http://twitter.com/Nabla765 Nabla

AJ is the best teacher I’ve ever met in all of my life! His method is SOOOO powerful, so effective, so modern, so innovative, that now I don’t want to learn anything else with the old methods! I’ve burnt my grammar books and I’ll never learn a language in the old way! AJ’s lessons are nice, interesting, fun and deep at the same time! With his lessons I’ve improved my listening: I can understand movies and interviews with no effort, naturally as they were in my language. I’ve improved my speaking: I’ve become so confident with his training that now… I talk too much! I cannot stop talking! I’ve become more fluent in English than in my own language!!! REALLY!!! And I’ve also started to love reading entire books in English with no dictionary! What to say? AJ’s lessons are the best gift that life has given me! Thank you AJ for being so SPECIAL and UNIQUE!!! YOU ROCK!!!

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Thanks Julia… You Rock!

Robert Tuan

you rock..Nabla

Nabla765

Thanks Robert, you are great!

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Where are you from

http://www.facebook.com/baerbel.kulisch Baerbel Kulisch

Great interview, great questions and fantastic answers. I have been one of AJ’s students for about 4 years. I listened to his Original Effortless English Lessons, The Power English Lessons, The Real English Lessons, the Business English Lessons and since 2009 I have been a VIP member of Effortless English. As you can see there is enough fuel for the engine. I thank you so much, AJ. Keep teachin g us in that way.

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Thanks Baerbel!

http://twitter.com/omarmohammad87 Omar Mohammad

Without exaggeration , you are the best English teacher in the world . And your method is the most efficient, powerful and interesting method of learning I have ever seen and learned. Thank you Mr. Hoge and greetings from Egypt .

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Hello to Egypt!

Mayank

How much time is needed for spoken English …i can speak English for a while but after some time i just forgot my sentence ….Is 2 months is enough for speaking English well

http://twitter.com/TrangVuHuyen Trang Vu Huyen

Your teaching method is very different form which i have studied before

Anil

Our Great Coach AJ, is Mastery in the english coaching and leadership skills. Because of his enthusisasm, we all touched/moved and inspired. Thanks AJ!

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Thanks for the nice comments everyone. My true secret is that I’m picky about teaching only the really great learners

Hi I’d like to describe AJ’s teaching style as – Instant Method English and Life Improving without any Bullshiting and Crap.

http://twitter.com/Nabla765 Nabla

You are right Peter! I totally agree with you!
Instant and effective METHOD!!! AJ’s the best!

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Ha! I don’t know about “instant” but hopefully faster and more enjoyable

http://www.facebook.com/pablograciano Pablo Graciano

The best teacher that I ever had and I continue listening the lessons. Effortless English is the easiest and more quickly way to learn english, getting confidence and it’s not just to improve talking english, you grow as a human being through the topics he talks about and all the books that he mention on Power English Lessons.

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Thanks!

http://twitter.com/HazemWagdy Hazem Wagdy

AJ Hoge the first time I knew about your program was a funny story, I was in a metro where some american guy asked me where his station was I wanted to say it’s 2 stops from here but I made ppl laugh at me when I struggled to say so ” I laughed too as it was funny ”.. at this day I surfed the internet looking for an immediate English learning program and to be honest I was bored too from the same folks that says buy these books and listen to its boring tapes and get the american British accent bla bla bla .. … After alot of searching, the word “Effortless”, which is the name of ur program” just puped up and subconsciously I clicked in the link and it was just what I was looking for.. I subscribed to the e-mail lessons and was so happy as I could understand almost every thing .. I progressed and finished 2 levels and improved alot I can say so cuz during this period I was looking for a job and I could measure my accent in interviews and it was improving magically .. After that I struggled to stay consistent and lost sight of my goal … I felt so sad…. but am working on this issue now a days hoping to become fluent again … I am just happy cuz I have found my way in improving … I am not worry anymore about how to increase my fluency .. I have just realized how and my job is to stay consistent .. at this point I just want to say Thank you =)

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Great success story Hazem! No worries, we all have times when we struggle but you realize that consistency is the key.

Rubem Freitas

All is true! AJ is a fantastic English coach. I`ll never forget what he`s done for me and for many students all over the world.

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Hi Rubem! I’m sure we’ll do a seminar or event together someday in Brazil!

Martin

Since I have started learning from AJ’s methods, my English improve a lot. In fact, I have studied English for about 10 years, always from boring text books. This effected that I couldn’t even understand simple real english conversation or even more I couldn’t speak after 10 years of learning! I thought that either I’m not good at learning foreign language or English is not for me, and you know? I was wrong! Schools are really suck! Thank you AJ, without you now I probably would have the same old approach and couldn’t thriving the way I thrive currently.

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

It’s great you were open to trying something different.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000148826871 Carlos Eduardo

Super AJ!!!!
Please come to Brazil!

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

I’m working on it!

Anh

I started learning English with Aj’s method 1 and a haft year ago and my English improve alot. The best thing I get from Aj’s program that I meet a wonderful man in American and we’re falling in love after 2 months Skyping. That amazing thing that I’ve never think. Thanks Aj, thanks your method, thanks all of thing that you’re doing.

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Wow… so can I add “match-making” to our Effortless English services

Robert Tuan

English is great with me when i knew AJ’s method. my english skill have improved so fast..fast. i can stop it ,no boring, no grammar , just listening. that’s excenllent.

..Thanks my best teacher. AJ

chuc luu

Thank you so much! Your method is so great! But I have a question for you! When do i know that i have a feeling about grammar? How can i improve my feeling grammar faster?

AJ! I joined your course for a year. . I joined Power English and now i’m still listening,too. That’s great! Thank you so much! But i feel that sometimes i’m not confident about conversation. POV is so great but i don’t know how to use it best! And i don’t know when i have a feeling about grammar? Thank coach

http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/ A.J. Hoge

Well, if you wrote that comment quickly without thinking about grammar… I’d say you already have a good feeling for grammar. Improvement is never-ending. Worry less and focus more on enjoying the language, connecting with people, and communicating your ideas and feelings.

chuc luu

Thank AJ. Once more question . I knew that you hate grammar rules. But in Vietnam, my country, the goverment use tests, so i have to grammar rules to pass tests. How can i do? Thanks

Lo SIEW LAN

AJ, my English improved a lot after I used your methods. I bought one of your program in Learn Real English and it’s truly work. You are amazing and I love your teaching approach so much. It’s totally different with what I ‘ve learn before. YOU ARE AWESOME!

http://twitter.com/lisztony Andy Cheng

It is great to be AJ’s student, it’s obvious that AJ has learned a lot on language teaching from other masters in this field, also he has done lots of research work himself on it, meanwhile he practiced his methods and research on real English teaching work, I mean he has experienced so much on English teaching work, right or wrong thing on this work. The most key point is he is not teaching us English only, he’s also teaching us how he thinks of the world, work and life, many aspects of life, how to learn new thing and how to face the challenge in life, many many…. He can do that as he already experienced a lot of culture and thinking through his past traveling and teaching around the world. It’s honor to have his sharing on those things with us.Hope I can be a person like him some day! Good luck to AJ and all Effortless English members!

Prisoner of Morning

Ah! It’s been a long time since I listened to Aj. But it feels a bit new here. What happened to your hair?!.. You also look a bit thinner. Oh! I would mistake you to another person. But your voice and words are still Aj’s. I don’t know why, but I feel a sudden great longing for my lessons! I’m listening again.

http://twitter.com/ChaIqra iqra chaudhry

I have no words……….you are good teacher
GOD bless you

disqus_lod3ygXpsQ

Hello A.J., I hear a lot about improving English using your method and have actually checked the site out. Very inspiring indeed. However, I am missing the part about teaching-training from the start, meaning zero knowledge of English. Could you tell me anything about that ? Thanks .

Tiopepe

You are a good teacher but personally you speak to load! so after listen a lesson i have to take aspirin anyway you are doing a great job.

All the best

Nabla765

Hi Tiopepe,
our modern technology let us put the volume to zero when too loud! You probably turned in the wrong direction… try the other one!
AJ Hoge is the best teacher in the world! He “play” with English. And his students play with English too!

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